Nebulizer device for medical aerosols

Abstract

A nebulizer device including a mesh aerosol generator combined with an inhalation chamber formed with three openings and a single one-way expiratory valve, a first opening being connected to the patient and used for the transport and administration of the particles from the device to the patient, the said first opening being placed upstream of the aerosol generator, a second opening placed upstream of the device aerosol generator allowing the passage of air from the outside of the chamber to the inside of the inhalation chamber, and allowing the complete ventilation of the inside of the inhalation chamber, a third opening, placed downstream of the aerosol generator and upstream of the said first opening, provided with a single one-way expiratory valve allowing the exhalation of the air from the patient through this third opening, the said third opening being closed by means of the one-way expiratory valve during the inhalation phases and open during the exhalation phases, and whereby the resistance of the said third opening, combined with that of the expiratory valve is less than the resistance of the second opening.

1 . A nebulizer device including a mesh aerosol generator combined with an inhalation chamber and a container designed to contain the medicine in liquid form with mesh connected to the container and in contact with the medicine and allowing the passage of the medicine then the generation of particles of medicine on the other side of the mesh in the inhalation chamber, characterized in that the inhalation chamber is formed with three openings and one single valve, said valve being a one-way expiratory valve, a said first opening being connected to the patient and used for the transport and administration of the particles from the device to the patient, the said first opening being placed upstream of the aerosol generator, a second opening placed upstream of the device aerosol generator and allowing the passage of air from the outside of the chamber to the inside of the inhalation chamber, and allowing the complete ventilation of the inside of the inhalation chamber, a third opening, placed downstream of the aerosol generator and upstream of the said first opening, provided with a single one-way expiratory valve allowing the exhalation of the air from the patient through this third opening, the said third opening being closed by means of the one-way expiratory valve during the inhalation phases and open during the exhalation phases, and whereby the resistance of the said third opening, combined with that of the expiratory valve is less than the resistance of the said second opening in order to limit the escape of the particles produced in the inhalation chamber, through the said second opening, and whereby the second opening is designed to resist the air inhaled by the patient and limit the rate of the air inhaled by the patient. 
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the expiratory valve consists of a shape-memory material which closes it at ambient pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the expiratory valve is made from solid non-deformable material. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein the volume included between the first opening and the third opening is less than 200 mL. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein the resistance of the third opening and of the expiratory valve is less than 0.07 cm H20 min/L 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the resistance of the third opening combined with that of the one way expiratory valve is less than the resistance of the second opening for exhalation rate in excess of 3 L/min 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein the resistance of the third opening provided with a one-way expiratory valve is at least 10 times less than the resistance of the second opening for an exhalation rate in excess of 30 L/min. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein the volume of the inhalation chamber is included between 40 mL and 500 mL 
     
     
         9 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol generator and the first opening are both arranged in the upper part of the device and whereby the storage zone consists of two cylinders and included in one another and arranged according to a vertical axis with the said first cylinder being open at either end and the said second cylinder containing the first cylinder comprises simply one opening in its upper section and whereby the said first cylinder has a diameter smaller than that of the second cylinder and whereby the second cylinder includes the first cylinder and the third opening is situated in the upper part of the device. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 9  wherein it has an interface in the upper part of the storage zone near the aerosol generator and includes the said third opening and the expiratory valve which is non-deformable, fitted with a rotation axis hinge opening of the opening during the exhalation phase and closing the opening during the installation phase and during the respiratory pause phases. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 10 , wherein the interface is a mouthpiece. 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 9  wherein the first cylinder has a diameter of between 20 mm and 100 mm and a minimum height of 40 mm and whereby the second cylinder has a diameter three times smaller than the diameter of the first cylinder and whereby the second opening has a diameter included between 1 mm and 20 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein the second opening has a diameter included between 1 mm and 20 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the third opening provided with a one-way expiratory valve has a resistance of less than 0.03 cm H20 min/L for an exhaled air rate of 30 L/min. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the second opening is located upstream of the first opening, while the third opening is located downstream of the second opening and upstream of the first opening, and whereby the mesh is placed downstream of the second opening and upstream of the third opening. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein a piezo-electric device is associated with container and not connected to mesh to put into movement the liquid medicine and generate particles through the mesh. 
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein a piezo-electric device is connected to the mesh in order to put it into movement and generate particles through the mesh. 
     
     
         18 . A device according to  claim 16 , wherein the vibration frequency of the piezo-electric device is between 50 kHz and 500 kHz.